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Resolutions old

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Public Affairs Sub-Committee

2021/22 Shortlisted Resolutions

The shortlisted resolutions are:

  1. Appropriate Sentencing of Non-Violent Women Offenders
  2. Equality in Law for the Menopause
  3. Fit for Purpose – Fit for Girls
  4. Tackling Digital Exclusion
  5. Women and Girls with ASD and ADHD Under-Identified, Under-Diagnosed and Under-Supported

Next steps

Every member now has the opportunity to cast their individual selection on the resolution they support the most. WIs are encouraged to hold meetings to provide members with the opportunity to discuss and learn more about each resolution. However, if this is not possible members can research the issues themselves and make their selection.

The selection slip can be found in the November/December issue of WI Life. To request a copy of the selection slip, please contact the NFWI at pa@nfwi.org.uk

The deadline for members’ selections to reach their federations is 30th January 2022.

If you have any questions about returning your selection slip, please speak to your WI committee or your federation.

In addition to completing the selection slip in WI Life and posting it to your federation, WI’s can:

  • allow members to submit their selections directly to the WI secretary via email or telephone;
  • conduct an anonymous poll at a virtual WI meeting; or
  • collect selections using electronic tools, such as via email or using a survey tool like SurveyMonkey.

A number of resources are available for each shortlisted resolution from the NFWI to support members in casting their selection can be found on MyWi under the Public Affairs and Campaigns tab

Following on from PA’s article raising awareness around the WI campaign No More Violence Against Women in issue 8 of The WI Hive, you can  read the full articles below.

Jeannie’s Story

Bury Women’s Aid

Lighthouse Women’s Aid

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2020/21 NFWI Resolution Choice:

A Call to increase awareness of the subtle signs of ovarian cancer

The deadline for Link Delegates and Federation Representatives to input the votes of WIs in their linking groups has now passed, and I am pleased to inform you that the resolution ‘A call to increase awareness of the subtle signs of ovarian cancer’ passed with a majority of 99.48%.

This means the resolution is now an NFWI mandate and will form the basis of a national WI campaign which all members are invited to work on.

The outcome of the vote will also be announced in the August mailing and in the September issue of WI Life.

We recognise that the challenges presented by the current health situation may have led to additional considerations around engaging with WIs this year, so I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for all of your hard work supporting members and obtaining their votes.

The NFWI Public Affairs Department will be producing a full campaign action pack with ideas and resources that members can use to take the campaign forward. This will be available on the NFWI website and My WI, and shared on our social media channels as soon as possible.

In the meantime, we would encourage members to visit the ‘Annual Meeting Resolution Result 2021’ page of the WI website where you will find a briefing from tomorrow with background information on the campaign and some initial ideas about how you can take action. This is also included with this email alongside a meeting/event evaluation form, referenced in the briefing, for you to use to track the impact of your work on this campaign on a local level.

As always, the Public Affairs Committee and NFWI PA would welcome hearing about any activities you and your WIs have planned for the campaign so please do get in touch with us atgwenwilliams55@googlemail.com /       pa@nfwi.org.uk

A call to increase awareness of the subtle signs of ovarian cancer Memo

Event/Meeting Evaluation Form The WI’s Ovarian Cancer Campaign

Every two hours in the UK someone dies of ovarian cancer. Making sure GPs and the public know what to look for will not only ensure the early detection and treatment of this disease but transform lives today and for generations to come.  NFWI calls on WI members everywhere to help increase awareness of the subtle signs of ovarian cancer.

A call to increase awareness of the subtle signs of ovarian cancer

SWFWI 29th April Zoom Resolution Conference - Speakers:  John Lynch from Ovarian Cancer Trust and Ruth Griggs and Sue Stockholm from Ovacome UK

Ovacome UK

Ovacome free support line:  0800 008 7054

Ovacome website – www.ovacome.org.uk

Ovacome BEAT campaign materials on signs and symptoms– www.ovacome.org.uk/b-e-a-t

Getting Ovacome’s straightforward message about the signs and symptoms to more women is vital and many of our supporters distribute our B.E.A.T. campaign materials to places they visit and people they meet.

B is for bloating that is persistent and doesn’t come and go

E is for eating difficulty and feeling full more quickly

A is for abdominal and pelvic pain you feel most days

T is for toilet changes in urination or bowel habits

Information on ovarian cancer and genetics – www.ovarian.org.uk/ovarian-cancer/brca/

Ovarian Cancer Trust

https://ovarian.org.uk

Presentation by John Lynch

Report from the Resolution Conference by Jill Newell

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The NFWI Annual Meeting will be a hybrid meeting on the 8th June.  There will not be a vote on the resolution at this meeting but it will be debated. Instead, delegates and federation attendees will feedback information on the debate to WIs who have until 9 July to make a decision whether they are in favour or against the resolution and send in their vote. Voting procedure will be notified by NFWI in due course.

** The discussion on the resolution is available to watch for free on YouTube here. Please discuss this resolution in your WIs and let your Delegate know your vote by 2 July 2021 at the latest.

Resolutions 2019/20

Resolution Shortlist

The National WI Board have confirmed that both this year's resolutions will be campaigned on:

Call to increase potential stem cell donor registration

Wording: There is an urgent need to increase the number of people registered on the aligned UK stem cell registry in order to provide potentially life-saving treatment to people of all ages with certain blood cancers. We call on all WI members to promote registration to the database to avoid people dying whilst waiting for a match.

stem cell

REPORT OF PA COMMITTEE’S STEM CELL / MAKE A MATCH ZOOM EVENT – 28TH MAY 2021

Background

Every twenty minutes, someone in the UK is diagnosed with blood cancer. Often, replacing their cancerous blood cells through a blood stem cell donation from a matching donor is their best chance of survival.

Ideally, stem cells are taken from a family member of the person who needs them (siblings are the most likely to match your tissue type). However, according to NHS Blood and Transplant, 65-75% of people who require this treatment are unable to find a sibling match.

Most people, therefore, depend on finding a suitable donor on the aligned ‘Anthony Nolan and NHS Stem Cell Registry’. This is formed of Anthony Nolan, DKMS UK, NHS Blood and Transplant, and the Welsh Bone Marrow Donor Registry. There is also a global network of registries which can be searched.

While a number of organisations are already working on this issue, meeting the demand for suitable stem cell donors is recognised as a big challenge. DKMS UK says that many people die because they are unable to find a donor.

Currently, in the UK, only 2% of people are registered as stem cell donors. In order for more matches to be found, more people are urgently needed to join the registry.

How you can get involved

1. Download our Action Pack to learn more about the issue, how you can get involved and how to raise awareness of the need for more stem cell donors.

2. Help improve the understanding of stem cell donation. A lack of awareness of the need for more stem cell donors and misconceptions about the process are some of the main challenges to increasing the number of people on the aligned UK stem cell registry. At the end of this page, you will find a list of resources which we would encourage you to share with other members of your WI and friends and family. We have also created a number of infographics for you to download and share on social media. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #WIMakeaMatch.

Alternatively, you could consider holding a virtual meeting (or in-person meeting where feasible) with members of your WI and the local community to share information and discuss the issue in more depth. If you are arranging a meeting, the charity DKMS would be happy to try and arrange a speaker for you. You can contact them using the details included below.
DKMS: events@dkms.org.uk

3. Share our WI Signup links. The NFWI has worked with Anthony Nolan and DKMS to create WI specific sign up links to the stem cell registry, which you can use yourself or share with those around you. These links will allow us to keep track of the number of people that sign up as a potential donor as a result of our Make a Match campaign.

DKMS/WI Signup link: www.dkms.org.uk/thewi
Anthony Nolan/WI Signup link: www.anthonynolan.org/WI

Signing up to become a stem cell donor is a personal choice and there are restrictions on who can register. Eligibility criteria vary across organisations involved in this process. Anthony Nolan, for example, focuses on people aged 16-30 on the basis that this age group provides the best outcomes for patients. While DKMS registers people aged between 18 and 55 who are in general good health and live permanently in the UK. People aged 17 can also ‘pre-register’ with them in advance. You can find out more about this and how to sign up by visiting their websites.

5. Share your experiences with the SWFWI and NFWI. If you have registered as a potential stem cell donor, donated your stem cells or received a transplant, NFWI would love to hear your story. Stories can make a big difference when it comes to raising awareness, and so, with your permission, we may share these through our communication channels, including WI Life, the WI websites, Public Affairs resources and social media. Please email pa@nfwi.org.uk. For SWFWI: SWFWI's Facebook, Instragam, items for the Hive - email office.swfwi@gmail.com

Find out more about stem cell donation

End Modern Slavery

Wording: There are tens of thousands of victims of modern slavery hiding in plain sight in the UK. Modern slavery has severe consequences for the health and mental wellbeing of survivors.  The NFWI calls on Government to protect victims of modern slavery in the first instance and deliver longer term support to help them rebuild their lives. We call on our members to raise awareness of the prevalence of modern slavery throughout society and to campaign to defeat it.

A range of resource materials for these two resolutions can be found under the Public Affairs tab on the MyWi website

Resources

To support members to get involved the Public Affairs team has produced a range of resources:

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Women’s health advice blog to try and improve access to information around women’s health issues - www.femalegp.co.uk

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The 2019 NFWI Resolutions are:

A call against the decline in local bus services

Wording - Over the last decade there has been a massive decline in the number of bus services, particularly of those in rural and semi-rural areas. In order to alleviate loneliness, improve health and wellbeing, as well as promoting sustainable development, the NFWI calls on the Government and local authorities to increase subsidies and work in partnership with bus companies and community transport operators to enable an adequate provision of services.

Don’t fear the smear

Wording - Cervical screening saves around 5,000 lives a year, yet attendance is currently at its lowest for a decade. The NFWI urges WI members to attend routine screening, to take action to raise awareness of the importance of cervical screening and address barriers to attendance to help eradicate cervical cancer.

You can find a selection of resources to help you learn more about the resolutions on the WI website and on My WI:

  • Detailed briefing notes about each resolution.
  • A PowerPoint presentation on the topics.
  • Quizzes to test your knowledge.
  • A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) document about the resolutions process.
  • A discussion guide with ideas about how to discuss the resolution in your WI.
  • Videos

Report on the 2019 Resolution Conference

2018 Resolution passed at NFWI Annual meeting

Make Time for Mental Health

The NFWI's Public Affairs Department has produced a series of short educational videos about mental health.  These are a free resource for members to use as part of any meeting or event they are organising. There are four videos, each covering a different topic: mental wellbeing; women and mental health; mental health stigma and mental health support services.  All feature a WI member with personal or professional experience in this area.

To support members in starting and facilitating conversations about these issues, each video is accompanied by a guide which has been produced in partnership with the charity Rethink Mental Illness. The guides include suggested questions for discussion as well as sources of further information and support. All of these resources can be downloaded from the Make Time for Mental Health page of My WI here.

2017 SWFWI Resolution - Invisible Disabilities

Not every disability, impairment or condition is visible and according to the World Health Organisation, a billion people live with some kind of disability. These impairments are not always apparent or signalled in a way that would be readily identified but cause real day to day issues for those living them. They can affect all ages and all genders. Awareness and education around Invisible Disabilities is ongoing but much work is still needed.

Following the successful Federation Resolution, the PA Committee will be posting organising and campaigning ideas around this resolution on this page.  Please do let us know what your WI and/or individual members are doing in support of this Resolution via the Office.

Letter to MP from Great Ashfield & Badwell Ash WI

Reply from MP